No. 24.— 1881.] MI'RA KATIRI FESTIVAL. 133 



a year comes to the temple which is outside the city.* On that 

 account a virgin is adorned and offered to him as a sacrifice; otherwise 

 that Jinni will enter our country and harass us. This custom has 

 obtained from the time of our ancestors. We therefore give our 

 maidens by turns. As it is now this girl's turn, we have come here 

 and are preparing to take her away." Hazrat, looking on the infidels, 

 forbade them, saying, " Do not this wicked act, but marry ye the 

 maid to a young man," and went away. 



But those infidels disregarded the righteous words of the Sahib, 

 being quite ignorant of his previous miraculous acts. According to 

 their wont they adorned the girl, bound her tightly, and having placed 

 her in a palanquin paraded her through the country with music and 

 lighted torchesf ; finally, leaving her in the temple which is outside the 

 town, they departed to their respective houses. 



Hazrat Miran Sahib, aware of these circumstances by divine in- 

 tuition ; meditating on the wonderful God, in the dread night took a 

 goglet joyfully in his hand, and walked alone to the place where the 

 girl was kept. J At that juncture the Jinni approached with fearful 

 noise, coming to gaze on the maid. Miran Hamid seeing him said, "O 

 Shaitan, be patient; approach not the girl." Hearing those words the 

 Jinni, alarmed, confused in mind, trembling, with face distorted, made 

 obeisance at the lotus feet of the Sahib. § Hazrat looking on the Jinni 

 said "Take this goglet, O Accursed,] and fetch water from the tank 

 which is opposite." The Jinni, at once assuming human shape, took 



* " There appeared to them every month an evil spirit, who came 

 from the sea, resembling a ship filled with lamps." (Gray, J. R. A. S., 

 Vol. X. n, s. p. 180, translating Ibn Batoutah, Tome IV., p. 126). 

 C^si/TisuiULc \_Tevdlayam~] = A temple dedicated to Hindu or local Deviyo 

 or gods. Ibn Batuta has boudkhdnah (Arabic), <! Idol temple." 



I " carried as a bride, 



With music and with litters gaily dight." 

 % Abu-'l-Barakat, it will be remembered, took the place of the old woman's 

 daughter, and worsted the demon by reciting "the glorious Kuran." 



§ " for spirits feel all force divine, 



And know the sacred presence of the pure," 

 j| LoebsfyQ m [malvune] : Arabic malvun, " curse." 



